Fruit-packinglpress i



(No Model.) Q

E. A. OHATFIBLD.

FRUIT PACKING PRESS.

Patented July 10, 1888.

UNrrEn STATES PATENT Fries.

EDXVARD A. CHATFIELD, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FRUIT-PACKINGZPRESSZ! LSPECIIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,907, dated July 10, 1888.

Serial No. 208,508. (Nomodehl hereby declare the following, when taken in.

connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ol'the same,

and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a perspective view of the press as in operation; Fig. 2, a vertical section forward of the slide; Fig. 3, a vertical section between the arms.

This invention relates to the construction of a press to force the cover upon boxes or cases containing fruit during the operation of securing the cover, such as oranges, lemons, or other fruits transported in boxes or cases. The boxes containing fruit are filled so that the last layer of fruit will project somewhat above the upper edge of the box. The cover is then placed thereon and requires to be pressed down, so as to bear hard upon the sides and ends of the box, that the bands or straps may be secured thereon asa means for securing the cover.

The object of my invention is the construction of a press into which the filled box may be set and the cover placed thereon. Then the press brought into action bears upon the cover of the box distant from the extreme ends, so as to force the cover properly down upon the box, yet leave it exposed for the attachment of the straps or fastenings.

To this end my invention consists in a bed upon which the box of fruit may rest, combined with a slide or slides arranged in vertieal guides and extending to a point above the box, with arms projecting therefrom over the bed, and so as to be over the box when the box stands upon the bed, and with means for drawing the slide downward to bring the said arms to bear upon the cover of the box, as more fully hereinafter described.

A represents the bed. A slide is arranged vertically through this bed. Preferably the slide is composed of two uprights, B B, each arranged in suitable guides, O C, but the two slides are connected below the bed bya bar, D,

or otherwise, so that the two uprights form substantially a simple slide. The uprights B B extend above the bed, and are distantfrom the front of the bed at least equal to the width of the box to be packed, and above the bed two arms, E E, project forward over the bed, and substantially parallel therewith, the arms being supported by suitable braces from the uprights, but so that the arms move up and down with the uprights. Below the bed a suitable pcdal, F, is arranged to engage the slide or uprights, the said pedal being in a convenient position to apply the foot, and so that the pressure of the foot upon the pedal will give to the slide a downward forced movement. A spring, G,or other well-known substitue therefor, is applied to the slide, which yieldingly holds the slide in the up position, so that the arms normally stand above' the bed a distance considerably greater than the height ofthe box.

For convenience I provide a notch, H, on the frame below the bed and in the path of the pedal, with which the pedal may engage when forced to its extreme down position,and so as to hold the slide in such down position.

In operation the box I is filled with thel'ruit and placed upon the bed, or first placed upon the bed and then filled, as the case may be, the securingstraps being first applied to the box, and as usual for packing such fruit. The cover J is laid upon the box, and then the slide is forced downward, bringing the arms to bear upon the cover until the cover is brought close upon the sides and ends of the box and there held. The straps are made fast in the usual manner. Then the slide is released and the box removed and another box applied to be closed in like manner. This description of the employment of the press in packing oranges will be sufficient to indicate its use for packing other fruits. The arms being separate the one from the other leaves the surface of the cover exposed for the applica tion of the l'astenings, and because it holds the entire cover in its place from the commencement to the end of the operation very considerable time is saved over the usual operation of pressing the cover down with the force of the hands or weight of the person securing the cover.

I do not wish to be understood as broadly allel therewith, a pedal, F, below the bed and in connection with said slide, the frame provided with ashoulder or notch, H, in the path [5 ofand adapted to engage said pedal. when in the depressed position, and a counter-balance,G, in connection with said slide, and so as to yieldinglyhold the slide with its arms in the raised position, substantially as described. EDWARD A. OHATFIELD. Witnesses:

G. S. HARDEE, '1. H. STRIPLING.

claiming a press provided with arms to take a bearing upon one side of a package, which package rests upon abed, as such, Iain aware, is not new.

I claim Theherein described press for packing fruit, consisting ofthecombination of the frame with bed A thereon to support the box or case,vertical guides 0, vertical slide B, arranged in said guides and free for vertical movement only, the said slide carrying two arms, E E, projecting from the slide over the bed and par- 1 

